


5 times Tony realizes he's slowly falling in love (+1 time he wakes up next to Clint)

by Banashee



Series: Tear Down The Walls (IronHawk Verse) [2]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: 5+1 Things, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, Idiots in Love, M/M, Minor Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-02-09 05:51:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18632116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Banashee/pseuds/Banashee
Summary: It's still early, so they sit at the table in silence, inhaling caffeine and it feels kind of domestic. And Tony wants this, these quiet moments in his life more than he ever thought he would and yeah. He's totally screwed.Or:5 times Tony realizes he's slowly falling in love (+1 time he wakes up next to Clint)





	5 times Tony realizes he's slowly falling in love (+1 time he wakes up next to Clint)

**Author's Note:**

> What it says on the tin.  
> This story is a tie-in of "Make it a home" and I decited to make it a series. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

**5 Times Tony realizes he's slowly falling in love (+1 Time he wakes up next to Clint)**

 

 

1)

 

It's just a crush, he keeps telling himself. Nothing he needs to act on, even though he feels more and more like a pining teenager every day. It doesn't have to mean anything. Just ignore it until it goes away.

He's no good with relationships. It never ended well before, so why even try now and ruin a perfectly good friendship? That's not gonna happen.

 

Tony realizes he's screwed when Clint walks into the kitchen one morning, clad in nothing but boxer briefs, mismatched socks and violently purple crocks, and Tony just smiles, without the slightest urge to mock his friends attire. Because fucking crocks. These things are ugly as hell.

But it's Clint, and he's sleep ruffled and smiling back at him while he's walking to the coffee machine, his eyes holding none of their usual sharpness at this time.

No one else is in the room, so Tony stares unabashedly at the well muscled back and perfect ass and what would it feel like to run his hands over both, his brain unhelpfully supplies.

Great.

 

It's still early, so they sit at the table in silence, inhaling caffeine and it feels kind of domestic. And Tony wants this, these quiet moments in his life more than he ever thought he would and yeah. He's totally screwed.

 

 

 

2)

 

"Yo Legolas, what do your elf eyes see?" Iron Man's tinny voice echoes over the comms, and is met with a little huff of laughter.

"Incoming on your three o' clock, Gimli. Looks like these things are not controlled by anything, they move on their own so watch out."

"Copy that. And what the fuck, did you just call me a dwarf?"

"Eh, you're short and bearded, so close enough. Watch your ass, there are more coming your way. Widow, you've got incoming too, on your six."

"Thanks, Hawkeye. Can you guys please flirt on your own time? Kinda busy here." Natasha’s voice replies instantly – she sounds surprisingly fond though.

 

The... Things they're fighting today are a weird hybrid of birds, tigers and some sort of bug. Whoever the hell is responsible for those is 1) fucking bonkers and 2) keeping the Avengers very busy today.

Giant, flying creatures with beaks, claws, teeth and horns are kind of lethal, and they're still trying to figure out how to get them down.

Being part bug, they are protected by a thick layer of chitin so that's great. Iron Man's repulsors only piss them off so far, and so do most of their other weapons.

Clint is currently busy trying to find a weak spot on them, and soon, with a satisfying "thunk" one of his arrows is imbedded in between the plates shielding one of the creatures bodies. It howls in pain, and then turns on the archer.

"There are weak spots in between their chitin plates. Try and hit them there, but be careful, one shot won't be enough!"

He's firing another arrow in the same spot, but it's not enough, and the thing lashes out before he can hit it a third time.

 

One moment they talk, the next one Tony hears Clint scream in pain, followed by a string of violent curses and heavy breathing.

"Hawkeye, report, now!" The worried voice of Captain America cuts through the comm line, and the answer takes way too long for everyone’s comfort.

"I'm... Fine, just... Fuck. It grazed me, but I can go on... Gimme a second." It sounds like he's breathing way too hard and it doesn't do anything to ease the dread that's creeping up Tony's spine.

When it comes to Clint, "I'm fine" could mean anything from "I got a small cut" to "Currently bleeding out but not dead yet so don't worry, it's cool".

He's not sure how bad it really is, but given what they’d just heared over the comms, it may well be closer to the latter option.

 

They keep fighting, and the number of bug-hybrid things shrinks rapidly, now that they know how to bring them down. Clint is unusually quiet, and they can hear him breathing hard and shallow.

 

Finally, when everything is done and they meet back at the jet, most of them are wearing blood, but everyone is conscious and alive. So that is a big plus.

On the way back to New York, Clint is patched up in one piece again, falls asleep and ends up with his head on Tony's shoulder.

The genius doesn't mind it at all, and is happy to know his friends are all safe.

He doesn't want to think about what could have happened, puts an arm around the other man and closes his eyes.

 

 

3)

 

His head feels like Hulk and Thor had a mosh pit in it. Tony groans. His brain feels like mush, and everything hurts. Sluggishly, he opens his eyes and blinks a few times.

The room is almost dark, with just a little light behind the bed illuminating the room. Probably medical, the way Tony feels right now.

Turning hurts, but there is someone next to his bed and he'd like to know who...

 

"Hey, you're awake. Don't move too much, you've got a brain contusion and your neck got a bit of damage, too. Doctor said you'll be fine, tho. Take it slow"

 

A small smile tucks on his lips. Tony would know this calm voice anywhere, and while he is talking, Clint moves a bit so that Tony can see him without moving any more.

He has no idea how long he's been here, but it seems to be either late night or very early morning, and while the archer looks a bit rumpled, and his usual stubble looks positively beardly by now, he's smiling back at the other man.

 

"How long?" he asks, and dryness is scratching in his throat.

"You were out for about four days. You woke up three times before now, but didn't remember anything."

Tony is happy about the water cup and straw that suddenly appeared in front of his face, and he takes a few sips.

"Thanks." He's exhausted from the short conversation, and sinks back in the pillows. If the hand running through his hair before he falls back asleep is real or just his imagination, he's not sure.

But when he wakes up again, the sun is shining through his window and Clint is still there, dozing in a plastic chair. Tony is a bit stunned by that, especially when he never leaves for long over the weeks in which the engineer is healing.

 

One day, Clint shows up with a paperback and starts reading out loud.

Tony is listening with his eyes half closed, a smile tugging on his lips. He's still having trouble reading and concentrating for too long, but listening to someone else is easier. Usually, recovery bores him out of his mind, but this time it's not nearly as bad.

Company helps, and there is no shortage of it. Pepper and Rhody show up frequently, as do the other Avengers. But Clint seems to be a semi-permanent fixture in the room.

When they finish the first book, a new one will show up soon after. The Discworld series is really, really long and by the time Tony can go home, he'll never look the same at those books again. Now, whenever he opens one of them he can't help but think of the strong and capable hands holding them, and the steady voice that keeps him going even in the darkness.

 

 

4)

 

Movie nights in the Avengers Tower always mean puppy piles on the couch and food piles on the table.

Between the six of them, the amount of food that gets eaten is insane even on a good day. Bad days or movie nights are something else.

Bowls of Popcorn, bags of M&Ms, gummy snacks, chips, chocolate and, because Bruce likes to bake, Steve likes to learn and Clint is constantly producing magic in the kitchen when he's got the time, there are lots of cookies and pastries as well.

The amount of food looks horrendous, but it always gets eaten.

 

Tonight, they marathon the Lord of the Rings series, because you can't watch it often enough, and Steve only knows the books while Thor doesn't know it at all, which means a lot of jokes fly past him. They're determined to change that.

 

Laughter and bickering takes place, and Natasha proceeds to throw popcorn in the air from where she's sitting between Clint's legs, who catches it all and stuffs his face with it, or alternatively either throws it back into her red curls or shares it with Tony.

By the time the fellowship leaves Rivendell, they have settled down more quietly, and follow the story.

The second movie plays with most of them half asleep already, and Tony is dozing while his hands move on their own, landing in the blond mop of hair on his thigh and lightly scratching and Clint happily leans into it.

 

If only they could spend more time like this.

 

 

5)

 

"You're in my spot." Tony announces instead of a greeting after a day packed with Stark Industries meetings while he arrives in the common room.

He's standing in front of the armchair, and his words are met with a lazy, unimpressed, one-eyed glare from Clint, who is currently sprawled out with his legs hanging over one side, upper body over the other side of said chair, and already half asleep.

"And now I'm here. Shut up, I was about to fall asleep."

"Rude much!" Tony complains at him, and stands there for a moment, debating whether or not he should give in to his urge to just flop down on top of Clint. He doesn't feel like arguing, but he also really wants to get horizontal...

"Well, fine. Be like that. But I'll be in this chair very soon, whether you're in it or not."

It's probably for the best to give a verbal warning. Still, there is about a 50/50 chance of being kicked off...

 

"Whatever."

 

The engineer shrugs, and decides to take his chances.

He climbs on top of his friend, flops down with his head onto his chest and then feels how arms and legs wrap around him like a venus fly trap.

Tony braces himself for being thrown on his ass, but nothing happens. Clint just lets out a small breath, and then begins to snore softly, while clutching a very bemused Tony like he's a pillow.

He huffs laugh, and shifts slightly to get more comfortable. And it is surprisingly comfortable.

His eyes drift shut.

The last thing he notices is that someone threw a blanket over them, and when he opens his eyes again, the rising sun is illuminating the room. Although his back is screaming at him due to his sleeping position, Tony is more rested than he's been in a very long time.

 

Clint wakes up soon after, blinks a few times, and then smiles wordlessly at him.

Neither of them makes a move to let go or get up. They just settle down again and when they make it to the kitchen for coffee and breakfast, it feels slightly different than before.

 

Tony really hopes that the feeling won't go away.

 

 

(+1)

 

When Tony wakes up, there is a sturdy weight next to – and curled around him. Strong arms and hot skin, tightly pressed into him. Opening his eyes, he's greeted with a sight he really hopes to get used to, because the messy mop of hair that's tickling his face belongs to the resident sniper, who's buck-ass naked (just like Tony) and yes, that feels really fucking amazing.

 

Remembering the day before, he can't stop smiling and presses a light kiss on top of the blond mop, which causes Clint to smile and hug him a little tighter. He's slowly waking up, and kissing his way up from Tony's neck over his jaw to his lips, and they start their day in the best way possible.

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
